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I do more reading then posting here - thanks for the good threads to read everyone... but one thing I haven't found and keep wondering about: How do you dry out with a hammock once you are wet?

I have a HH Safari Deluxe Zip that isn't yet used for camping/hiking/traveling. I grew up camping, my wife didn't. I have always camped in a tent, except for several times in college, when I used an assortment of various hammock setups; nothing as "high speed" as the HH. She is wondering (and I am too): how do you dry out if you have to set up in the rain?

I'll paint a better scenario: Let's say I drive to a state park, walk in the mile or so to the camp site (down the trail), and it's raining the whole time. I'm going to be at least somewhat wet ... if I can get the hammock set up dryly, then how do I dry out before going to bed? I'm going to guess that it's not wise to have a fire or camp stove under the tarp, so that leaves me with ... packing dry clothes in a drysack or waterproof bag, and hanging my wet clothes to dry under the tarp?

What about the more extreme example of through-hiking the AT with a few days-straight of rain? Or motorcycle-camping and riding through a storm for the last few hours on the way in?

I guess it's clear to me that I want to not store wet gear (i.e. dry it once I get home), but how do I dry out while in the field?

Your tarp should be set up first, when setting up in the rain. After the tarp is set up, you have a dry area to hang the hammock.

I'll just add a big plug for my favorite substance on earth, merino wool. and in particular, a New Zealand company, Icebreaker. Their stuff is so comfortable, and dries ridiculously fast, but still works well when wet. Usually body heat alone is enough to get it dry.

I have one Icebreaker 200 layer I wear for tramping, then switch it out for something dry in camp. As others have said, tent camping is no different to hanging in this regard (except the added benefit of not being in a puddle and your bed always being dry).

I'm not sure I understand the problem... you set up a tarp first, between two trees. then you hang your hammock under it and unpack all your stuff into it (vs setting it on the ground). Anything wet (clothing, socks) just gets tossed over the ridgeline, under the tarp, and dries like it would anywhere else (actually, better than in a tent, because you actually have ventilation). if all your stuff doesn't fit in the hammock (less your cooking gear and food) you're carrying too much!

Wool is also req'd, in my book... down here in LA, I can get away with some cotton clothing (actually, it's necessary for me to sleep in, especially in summer). back in NY, i'll wear a synthetic T shirt and pants, wool socks, and a wool insulating layer... wool will pretty much dry out while you're wearing it. love the stuff. gotta be the good soft (and unfortunately expensive) stuff, or it's not worth it. the synthetic stuff gets hung on the ridgeline overnight and is usually dry by morning.. if not, oh well... it goes on anyway.

edit:
My tarp is an OES McCat Standard... I tie the far side lower to the ground, and try to find two sticks to make the near side almost like porch posts, about 6' long... that is plenty of headroom to be able to set up a cookstove and cook dinner under with no danger of burning your stuff. if it feels kinda crowded, I can take one of the hennessy's corners and stake it back underneath itself, pull the hammock off center, and clearing a little more room underneath for workspace.

Use some paracord to rig up a cloth line under your tarp. In a hennesey it's even easier because you have all that realistate around your hammock but the entrance is underneath.
Strip down and get under the covers in your hammock and warm up.

I'm not an ultra lighter but I go fairly light (14lbs ) but I still have a change of under clothes and a shirt in a trash bag dry sack. It is about 8oz of, what I consider, nessisary equipment.

Number 2: if my tarp was wet, I would first scrape the sides down with a debit card, then wipe it down with my bandana and roll into mesh tarp.
This was then stowed on the outside of the pack in the mesh part.

3) Pack covers are pretty useless, but on a really heavy rain day, would keep things from getting soaked. ( I have not tried the packa)

4) I kept a set of camp shorts and shirt (very very light weight). I would sleep with my wet socks OFF, but at the bottom of the quilt. My body heat dried them out (or even my day shirt) really well.

I never had a problem with a wet hammock.

I can see if you had a cotton hammock in Gautamala, that might be another story altogether.

If I were going to Guatamala , I might used a Darien UL.

Dos

~~~~~~~~~~~~In some mysterious way woods have never
seemed to me to be static things.
In physical terms, I move through them;
yet in metaphysical ones,
they seem to move through me. -John Fowles

First off...I'm not a UL hiker. Nor likely to ever be confused for one. My pack usually weighs in around 20-25lbs.

Part of that is extra trash bags.

Part of it is also a solo stove (bushbuddy, same thing).

I also carry a camp chair, but a sit pad would work too.

Bottom line is that I carry a dry change of clothes for sleeping in. In the winter, it's just a pair of winter weight baselayers, and a pair of wool socks. In the summer, synthetic shorts and t-shirt (or merino...just got me one!).

So...in the rain, I setup camp as everyone does. Tarp first, UQ/sleeping bag goes in hammock, pack gets set out underneath the hammock on a trash bag.

Gather a large quantity of tinder for the stove. If you know what you're doing, you can find dry wood even after days of rain.

Rig up an extra trash bag as a mini-tarp, stove and chair go underneath that. Fire up the stove, boil water, change into dry clothes. Eat/drink to stay warm, then I'll normally use the stove to dry out my socks and shoes/boots first, then dry out my wet clothes, which are all synthetics and dry much easier because of that.

Works nicer if I camp someplace with a fire ring, but I can use the stove to accomplish the same goal.

Bottom line, reassure your wife that drying out/dealing with the rain is no different hammock camping vs tent camping, with the exception of avoiding the chance of sleeping in a puddle.